Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-10-06

upon different plants. AS an example
of the present unsatisfactory stage o.
our knowledge in regard to these dis
eases, it may be shown how some year;
ago it was believed that the rust OF the
barberry was easily communicated tc
wheat; some years after this was EN-
phatically denied, and now the old
opinion of their identity is revived.
The rusts of blackberry and of wheat
are supposed to be distinct and differ
ent. but we have found them to appear
precisely alike in every respect, even
to the presence of an accompanying
mite which feeds upon the spores on
both plants, and have proved beyond
what we think reasonable doubt that
rust of one plant will affect the other.
thus clearly pointing to. ifnot proving,
their identity.
Enough, however. of these forms of
plant diseases is known to give us a
useful understanding of their nature
and some Indication of the means OF
preservation. That they bear a close
analogy to some parasitic diseases OF
animals is also known. They are con
tagious; some are accompanied and
produced by minute organisms known
as bacteria or other similar parasitic
plants of very low order of life, but
which will multiply with amazing IA
pidity and soon take possession of and
consume Literally and actually their
victims, by disorganizing and feeding
upon their substance; and they are all
destroyed by sulphur or preparations
of it which have an acrid or antiseptic
character.
The most recent discoveries in regard
to these blights go to show that they
appear only in plants upon which they
are sown, or which are sown In soil
sown with their seeds, and that they
mostly affect plants whose vigor and
vitality have been weakened by some
deficiency of food or some unfavorable
condition of soil or weather. Thus,
wet season in which fogs are followed
by very hot sunshine furnishes very
favorable conditions for the growth OF
rust upon wheat and smut upon corn
and oats. Infertility of soil tends to
the growth of rust upon blackberries.
Wheat which has been smutted one
smutted crop. The same is true of corn,
and potatoes grown from seed from y
previous years rotted crop will be af-
fected by rot if the season is at all
favorable for the growth of the fungus
which causes it. Fellows has been
produced in peaches by burying dis
eased branches and leaves among the
roots of healthy trees, and has APP
peared also in trees grown in soil that
IS deficient in potash, while the addi-
ton of potash and lime has caused |
plum and cherry trees badly affected |
with black rust TO recover and regain |
perfect health. 1t has also been found !
that sulphate of copper in solution in |
water destroys the spores of this rust |
and smut in wheat and oats, the smut |
Of corn, the rot of potatoes, the black |
rot of grapes, and by analogy will |
probably have useful effect in similar |
cases with other plants. This fact is
pertinent to the preparation for the |
sowing of fall wheat, for it is well |
proved that if the seed be stepped in |
of four ounces of sulphate OF |
copper to gallon of water for each |
five bushels, the spores of the rust adj |
herring to the seeds will be destroyed, |
and the young plant will be impreg- |
mated with the solution as to offer nc
favorable conditions for the entrance
of the parasite from the soil. The |
same treatment saves oats and corn and |
potatoes from the smut and rot; but |
while this remedy is useful in some
cases, in others the adequate fertilizing
of the soil must be secured to give suf-
ficient vigor to the plants to resist the
invader. The most needed nutriment
for this result seems to be mineral, and !
lime, potash and phosphoric acid have
been found most effective to ward of
the attacks of parasites from fruit
trees as well as grains.-M Y. Times.